Empty Night
by sbyamibakura
Summary: eventual Thomas/Harry, post-Turn Coat. After the events of weeks past, Harry has tried to get his life back into some semblance of normalcy. Struggling to get back in touch with his brother, trying to get back on the more normal cases he took, all of these things took a back seat as soon as a certain Fairie Queen comes back, asking him to fulfill his last favor to her.


: :: : : :: : : :: :

Empty Night

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: The Dresden Files are property of Jim Butcher. I only own this story and make no profit from this.

Warning: Rated M for language, violence, sexual situations, slash, etc.

Pairings: eventual Thomas/Harry, etc.

Setting: Post-Turn Coat. Spoilers for all of the books, to be safe.

Summary: After the events of weeks past, Harry has tried to get his life back into some semblance of normalcy. Struggling to get back in touch with his brother, trying to get back on the more normal cases he took, all of these things took a back seat as soon as a certain Fairie Queen comes back, asking him to fulfill his last favor to her.

A/N: I used a tiny part of White Night to help describe Mab and such, the rest is all me.

A/N2: This was something I had on the back burner for _awhile_. It was originally going to be a different pairing, back when I was trying to deny my burgeoning feelings for all things Thomas/Harry, but I quickly gave up denying it. I love the pairing. They fit each other. Looking back on this, made me realize how much this was really about Thomas and Harry, rather than the other pairing it was going to be. So after looking through this, I spruced it up. The opening 'dream' sequence has retained some of what it originally did, but has changed a lot in other places considering the pairing change. And I have to say I like it. Going through this has reawakened my interest in this, and this will be continued. I'm not sure of it's schedule yet, as I have other fics to work on as well, but I will try to get chapters done without _too _long a period in-between!

: :: : : :: : : :: : : :: :

Chapter One - Starts

: :: : : :: : : :: : : :: :

_"We see your dedication and it is an admirable thing, even if slightly foolish-"_

_"Hey! I-"_

_"-in the eyes of some. I see it differently, however. I see potential. There is war coming, Harry Dresden. And much sooner than you would think. There are things on the horizon. Dangerous and dark, with not much light to be beheld. But there is opportunity in it. Even when things become harsh, don't forget about the people around you. Even if they don't seem like it in that moment, they are your friends. Don't let them cloud your judgment, but seek their advice."_

_"Huh?" That's great, Harry. Show him how smart you are with your big words. "I don't follow."_

_"Not yet. But you will soon enough. When you decide to face things. Face your feelings for a certain person."_

_"Me and Karrin would-"_

_"I was talking about your brother."_

_I flinch, feeling as though cold water had been poured over me. Thoughts that I never thought consciously, never even knew about, come rushing up to the surface. Of course here-and I had a semi-awareness that I was dreaming, or as close a proximation to dreaming as possible-those impossible, unknown to me feelings come to light. I felt shame mixed with many other emotions wash over me as I looked at the angel in front of me._

"_...I have no clue what you're talking about."_

_There was a small smile on his face._

"_But you do, Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. You do, if you would just look deeper inside of yourself. The road is long, and black, your journey, but there is also room on the road for something good, for the right things to happen. Do not let recent memories and things delude you. Do not let them take you. You are offered the chance to set right a wrong."_

_My throat clenches. "Where are you going with this? I...I don't want to hear anymore of this."_

"_Harry, this small attack, for it is small compared to things to come, by Wizard Peabody is just the beginning for the 'Black Council' as you call them. You will need all you can get to stand by you, and your fledgling 'Gray Council.' Whether that be, your Mentor, your Apprentice, your Police Officer friend, your brother-"_

"_Stop. Thomas is..."_

_His voice continued on, as if never interrupted._

_"People you will need on your side for the things to come. It will not be easy; it will be the hardest thing you could possibly imagine plus much more difficult on top of that. I do not Judge you, Harry. That is not my job. The Lord loves all his creations and accepts their decisions. You were given your Free Will for a reason, Harry. Remember that; that is the most important thing."_

_I shake my head, still trying to wrap my head around everything. I wasn't a very religious man. I believed in Him (and if I didn't, having an Archangel around you would make you think about things-well, unless you were Sanya, I suppose. He had his sword given to him by freaking __**Michael **__the Archangel himself and he still claimed to be Agnostic) but generally I tried to stay out of his way. So for an Angel to take an interest in me, one of Uriel's ranking no less, surprised the hell-er, pardon the pun-out of me. And freaked me out a little. He was saying...what was he saying?_

_"But the Bible-"_

_The Archangel shakes his head. "Harry, I am not here to get into a theological discussion with you. Perhaps next time. Just know that you are a good man and I do not judge you. I am here to help you. But I need to hear it from you. That part is very important. You need to say your feelings aloud."_

_It could have been several lifetimes that passed as I look up at the dark skinned angel who waited with a smile._

"_...If I felt feelings for someone. If I.."_

"_You hesitate because of fear, fear of rejection, fear of what you feel."_

"_Yes." Was that my voice? So hoarse, filled with desire of something I had kept my conscious self from truly realizing, had done my best to not notice those things within me?_

"_But you want him. You love him."_

_I shudder. My eyes close, my voice croaks in the darkness, "Yes."_

_A hand clasps my shoulder, making me look up at the Angel._

"_It has begone. Things shall unfold. Now, return back to slumber and have peace."_

"_But, Uriel-"_

: :: : : :: : : :: :

I gasp, sitting up in my bed, blinking in surprise as I don't have a headache from getting up so quickly. Mouse, my big grey dog, looked up from his spot on the floor. His head tilted, as if curious. He was not barking or on edge, so I knew that there was nothing bad going on which woke me up.

"I feel like I'm missing something important." I said to him. "Maybe I was dreaming about Swedish twins and can't remember it. That'd be bad business."

Mouse made a little chuffling sound, settled back down and promptly fell back asleep.

Apparently Swedish twins were not high on the priority list for him.

Shame, that.

: :: : : :: : : :: :

I made myself get up, groaning slightly. It was lucky my head wasn't pounding like I had come to expect in the morning, but my body still ached, even after these many days since everything had gone down at Demonreach and the Council HQ. It hurt like hell, but it was easier to focus on that, than my own thoughts. I shuffled my way to the bathroom, taking a moment as I pass by the mirror above the sink to glance at my reflection, scars still shining new on my face.

It wasn't that big a deal. I wasn't the kind of person to check in the mirror every five seconds. Wasn't a vanity fiend like Thomas wa-

I stop myself right there and I take a deep breath, pushing that thought away. Thinking about my half-brother would do me no good right now. Thomas had changed after his encounter with the Skinwalker and I scarcely recognized him, though he looked exactly the same. He now fed his hungers completely. And being a White Court vampire, that meant feeding upon people, feeding on their lust and energy...until it killed them. Up until now, he had merely "sipped" upon people, people at his salon, for energy and that had been working. I had thought it was working.

The Skinwalker did...terrible things to my brother, and even just the thought of the Skinwalker brought up terror-from when I had seen it's true form with my Sight-and incredible anger, which washed away the terror. I would find the Skinwalker, and no matter what I had to do, that fucking thing was going to pay for what it did to my brother. I'd make it wish for mercy and revel in its misery.

Sometimes I feared what I could do, if I were truly pushed off the edge. This wasn't the edge, but it was awfully close. And I didn't care. For Thomas, it would pay.

Shrugging off my thoughts as best I could, I took a quick shower, ignoring the cold in favor of keeping the worst of my thoughts at bay, and pondering that feeling that I still had lingering from this morning, like I was forgetting something important.

It was possible that I was forgetting something, everyone can make a mistake, even a wizard. Especially a wizard. We tended to have a lot more on the line then 'regular' folk, after all. The only thing that came close to a true, complete, photographic memory, was Bob.

I finish the shower as quickly as possible, getting out and hastily throwing on clothes as I hear the phone ring. I all but trip over my feet as I reach it, yanking it to my ear and gasping out, "Dresden."

"It's Murphy." The seriousness of her tone alone kept me from letting out a joke, the joking a reflex that was all but second nature to me by now.

"What is it?" I ask, curious at the possibility, and also slightly sickened. I could imagine the possibilities; the events as of late did not endear me to any particular body, supernatural or no, more so than usual.

"Crime scene over on East 32nd street...it was found in a back alley. Me and Rawlins are here; the scene's been wrapped up as much as possible until you can get here."

She had to have more than a passing suspicion it was supernaturally based; it was there in her voice and what she was not saying. Luckily it wouldn't take too long to get there.

"On my way." We both mutually hung up after that-nothing else needed to be said.

After grabbing Mouse for a quick walk and feeding him and Mister-my thirty pound tomcat-I point at Mouse.

"Watch the house while I'm gone."I told Mouse. "And if Thomas happens to stop by, sit on him until I get back, so I'll get a chance to actually talk to him this time."

Mouse let out a reaffirming bark, wagging his tail once. Mister ignored both of us and jumped onto my bookshelf, and laid down to sleep.

I grab my blasting rod and staff, as well as pocketing my .44 in my duster pocket. Never bad to be prepared. Paranoid...me? Bah.

I step out.

: :: : : :: : : :: :

The Blue Beetle (though technically it was in many colors-blue, red, white, green-from the many times it needed to be fixed) plodded along down the road, which was starting to brighten even further with sunlight from the sun which hadn't completely risen in this part of town. I yawn noisily. I hoped Murphy had coffee and donuts readily available as soon as I got there, like a good cop. And if I suggested that, I'd be splattered all over the pavement. Nothing scarier than a five-foot nothing blonde pixie of a woman. Emphasis on woman.

But in all seriousness, Murph could kick major ass, and it was one of the-many-things I admired about her. She had saved my ass quite a few times, as I had for her. We had a great respect for one another, and the not-so-underlying tension between us didn't stop us from being friends.

In no time at all, I reach East 32nd, following the trail of cars until the last, which was parked near the entrance to an alleyway. Oh joy. We all know that the best stuff comes from alleyways. I step out of the Beetle, grabbing a firm hold on my Staff and head towards the sound of voices, which I could hear easily, even over the chatter of other police officers, some of which were looking around the surrounding area, there was also one putting up a line of police tape in the alleyway entrance as I approach. I make sure that the badge pinned to my shirt was easily visible to him as I pass. He gives a short nod after looking me over. I duck underneath the yellow tape and make my way over to a small group of people just ahead of me. They were all standing in a half-circle around something. It must have been worse than I thought, from the looks of the officer's faces I could see.

I spot Murphy easily; she was the only five-foot blonde there, not to mention the only woman there. It wasn't sexism, it was just fact; not as many women took on the Job as men did. One of the officers notices me, and before I can say anything, taps Murphy on the shoulder. She turns towards me. Standing barely over five feet, with eyes that were light, but were now set in determination as well as what looked to be disgust and fear, her petite body belied the fact that she could kick ass with the best with them. I liked her. Either as a woman, as a friend, or just respecting the work she did...Karrin Murphy was good people.

"Took you long enough, Dresden," she huffs at me suddenly. I refrain from rolling my eyes. I knew that she was just taking things out on me over her own insecurities. What? I can have flashes of insight every now and then, just like the next person! The scene must have been that bad.

"Ah-ah," I say, scoldingly, waving my staff around. "Now's not the time for arguing, Sergeant. Don't we have a crime scene to investigate? Where is your professionalism?"

She rolls her eyes at me in response, making me smirk. She waves me over with a hand and I walk over to where her and the other officers and detectives were standing. As I get close, her and the officer next to her part, allowing me the room to get through and take a look at the sight they had been staring at with such faces.

It was horrible. Locked in a deathly embrace were three charred, blackened, and barely recognizable figures on the ground. They should have been dust by now, but they weren't.

They were vampires.

I recognized which court they were from instantly by their looks; Red Court, Black Court and White Court. Two males and a female, respectively. Their mouths were locked in a horrible grimace, the eyes that remained were wide with horror. Blood, some dark, and some light ran in rivulets on the ground. Some of it even splattered across the bricks of the buildings nearby. Even more sickening was the fact that the fronts of each vampire was gone. Gone. As if had been ripped apart. I fought back the urge to throw up as I continued to gaze upon the sight, trying to look at all the detail that I could.

I take a couple of steps forward and kneel down. I remove a small vial from one of my duster pockets and place some of the ashy residue into it, twisting it closed. There was also something else that I noticed was hanging in the air; the stench of leftover magic. Well...it wasn't a stench, per se but all the same, it was something identifiable to me. It was quite potent, but I had no clue if it was the means for the vampires' deaths or not. I also couldn't tell if it started here or from another place. I'd have to consult with Bob and see what he could dig up.

"So what do we've got?" Murphy asked me suddenly. I glance at her, then at the men also surrounding the crime scene, then back at her. She got the message. With a quick word, she has the men disperse and give us some measure of privacy. I stand up, dusting off my hands as I place the vial back into my coat pocket.

"Vampires." I say bluntly. I turn away from the sight of the vampires locked in death. It was a disturbing sight. "I can't say for sure what caused all three of them to die, but I do know that from the burnt state that they're in, they should have been dust way before this. Not like dust, Buffy-style, poof, but just the same...anything would probably have become a pile of stuff before reaching this state. But that isn't the strange thing, well it's only one of the strange things..."

"Well?" She raises a brow at me, looking impatient.

"They're from each of the vampire courts. The first male is from the Red Court," That was easily identifiable, even with all the state of decomposition from the fire like damage to the bodies, as the Red Court vampires looked more akin to Nosferatu than Dracula. "The next guy is from the Black Court," Which was easy to tell since all Black Court vampires have a zombie body kind of thing going on, some of the rotting still visible even from the burning. "And the girl is from White Court." White Court vampires were the closest to human, though they bled a lighter color than human blood, and they fed, not on blood, but on the lust and energy from people.

My half-brother Thomas was a White Court vampire. More so now than a short while ag-

I shake the thought from my head. I didn't need the distraction now. No matter how much I was still hurt and confused over Thomas' sudden change, I couldn't let myself get distracted when there were bigger things on the line.

"And that's unusual..." Murphy murmurs, cop face firmly on. "Because that's just something that doesn't happen right? The Courts are fighting each other. They don't get along on the best terms, much less socialize...right?"

"Exactly right, Sergeant," I say, nodding in approval. Murphy had a good grasp on things. "So that leaves the question-just what the hell were members from all three courts doing together?"

: :: : : :: : : :: :

I left Murphy and the ghastly crime scene soon after, after taking a quick look around with my Sight, still shuddering as I gazed upon the three dead vampires while using it. But I didn't see anything other than what I had seen before. Now the plan was to first head to my office and check up on any messages that might be there for me. I still had business to do, outside of police-paid work, after all. Then I'd swing over to my apartment and hit up Bob for whatever information could be had on this strange new murder.

Geez...and I was starting to get accustomed to more than a couple hours of sleep at night.

Oh well, duty calls...

: :: : : :: : : :: :

The trip to my office was uneventful; though I had halfway expected something to follow me. As this had happened to me so many times lately, I was good to be cautious. But nothing happened. I got the mail that had piled up, unlocked my office door and walked inside. I shake my head. Nothing inside. I didn't know why I was expecting something or someone to happen or be there. I felt on edge. I didn't know if it had anything to do with the recent events at Demonreach, the Council headquarters or just now at the crime scene with the vampires, but something was making me feel uneasy.

I rub at my head, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. Just great. That was all I needed now. I head over to my phone and check for any messages, but finding none. The uneasy feeling I had only intensifies as I turn and start to head back the way I came. The pane of glass on my office door, as well as my office window, fogs up.

The door flies open and I knew the reason I felt so off my game.

"Hello, Mab."

: :: : : :: : : :: :

She smiles at me and it sends a shiver down my spine. Whatever she was here for, it couldn't be good. It seemed like every time that she showed up, I ended up with a new set of bruises. But I didn't dare push the boundary too much with her; while I may have been pretty powerful in my own right, someone of Mab's, the Winter Queen or Titania, her Summer Queen counterpart's power, could kill me without breaking a sweat. She was on par with the demi-gods and Archangels easily and small fry like Harry Dresden didn't even come close.

She wore a sparkling white gown that shimmered as she walked, the dress cut in all the right places, showing hints of bared skin here and there. Her skin made snow seem sallow by comparison. Glittering stones of every color imaginable sparkled on her ears, throat, her small wrists and they always seemed to be changing color every time she moved. One minute one was gold, the next it was the deepest emerald. Upon her head was a circlet of ice, very elegant and intricate, looking as if it had been formed from a single crystalline snowflake.

Her hair was quite long, past her hips, long and silken and white, blending into the gown. Her gorgeous looking lips were the color of frozen raspberries. Her eyes were wide, feline eyes, vertically shaped like a cat's. They were beautiful and showed all too well intelligence and desire and nothing of compassion or pity. Hers was the beauty that had inspired the greatest artists of the ages to paint their greatest masterpieces, the sculpters who worked tirelessly to recreate such breathtaking beauty, the writers who spent hour upon countless hour to put down into words what was almost impossible to put down into words just how beautiful it was.

It should send any man, or hell any woman-she was that beautiful-into a state of lust and happiness just to be able to gaze upon it.

It only terrified me.

Because I knew just who and what she really was. And how she looked only made up one small, insignificant part. Think of all the tales you heard as a child, the tales of the wicked witches who poisoned the princess, the evil enchantresses. Think of the alluring sirens who led men to their doom, the angry ogresses, the savage she beasts. Think of them and remember that somewhere, sometime, they've all been real.

And Mab gave them lessons.

Trailing along behind her was a something that looked like a cat, if the domestic cat ever grew that large-it made Mister look like a little kitten. It's green-gold eyes gleamed strangely, even more so in the light than it did the last time I saw it, late at night.

"Bow before Mab," mewled the cat-creature. It's voice was throbbing in weird cadences while speaking with a human voice. "The Queen of Air and Darkness. Bow before the monarch of the Unseelie fae, the Winter Court of the Sidhe."

"Nice to see you too, Grimalkin," I remark lightly. "Or is it Mab I'm speaking to again?"

"Hello, Harry Dresden," the voice came from Grimalkin, but Mab makes a little gesture and smiles, letting me know that Mab was using the creature to speak for her again, for whatever reason.

That was another thing: Mab was insane.

Or at least, that was what I had heard; that she was apparently losing it, or had been losing it for sometime. And with the way things had been going, I didn't have any real reason to doubt it. I wasn't sure if it started from the events at Arctic Tor a long time back or not, but either way...

A fully-or damn near close to it-sane Fairie Queen was bad enough in its own right. Immortal, a demi-god and nearly impossible to kill...if she really had lost it, that would be bad business.

Very bad business.

"It seems our paths have crossed once more," Mab replied through Grimalkin.

"Well, I would think so, considering you decided to stroll on into my office." I point out, tired, irritated, and finding my headache growing worse the longer I stood near the Fairie Queen. "Is there a reason you deigned to greet me with your presence?"

If Mab was offended by my sarcastic, yet witty, repartee, she did not show it. She continues to smile that beautiful, yet not quite so sane, smile at me, gesturing with her hands.

"It is good that you should say so, Harry Dresden," mewled Grimalkin-Mab. "For there is a reason for my appearance; it is time for you to fulfill your last debt to me, wizard."

I hold back a shudder with great difficulty as she, well Grimalkin speaking for her, finishes talking, her eyes staring deeply into mine. I didn't have to worry about a Soulgaze with her, but it was just as bad to look at her. I had, previously, repaid two of the three debts that I had to pay to Mab, throughout which, she constantly tried to make me her Winter Knight. While the added benefits of being said Knight would be immense and I would greatly grow in power...I had seen what happened to her current Winter Knight, Lloyd Slade and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, even knowing some of the things Lloyd had done in the past.

Pushed to the brink of death, he would be healed and forced to go through it all again. No...no I didn't want to become that, or even be near an opportunity where it could happen to me.

"And what were you wanting from me, Mab?" I ask, glad to see that my voice stayed steady. She could ask me whatever she wanted me to do and I could turn her down-in theory anyway; she could just as well get someone, or something, to beat me into submission until I said yes-or another less pleasant way. She could find a way around a loophole, I knew, so I had to be careful.

"Your last debt to me, wizard-I want you to find the culprit, or culprits, behind the deaths of the Red Court, Black Court, and White Court vampires that you went and seen earlier, and put a stop to them."

I wasn't all that surprised that she knew where I had been, but I was surprised of what she was asking of me. What business would Mab have with the vampire Courts? There had to have been something she knew, something she wasn't willing to divulge, that gave her a reason to come to me about this situation. And why would she come to me about something like this? With her power, it shouldn't be that difficult to find an answer could it? There had to be something more and I knew it, but she had to know that I was just as curious as anyone else as to what had happened.

Now if I could just figure out her motives in this…

"You want me to figure out what happened to the vampires?" I ask. My headache was only growing stronger and I refrain from rubbing at my head; it wouldn't do to show weakness to the Winter Queen.

"I will not repeat myself, wizard," she says, or rather says through Grimalkin. "I would think it a rather simple task for you to complete, being that you investigate things very often."

That was a true enough statement, but something still wasn't sitting right with me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was happening. But I was pretty sure I wasn't about to get any more information from Mab than she was willing to divulge, and I was not suicidal enough to push the matter further.

"If I do...if I see this through..." I say slowly. "Then my debt to you is complete and you won't ask me for anything else."

"Of course," was Mab's quick reply, too quick. She smiles serenely, but I knew what truly lay under the that facade. I knew that she would use whatever method she could to get me to do what she wanted, but I would keep it to an absolute minimum; I wouldn't be used.

At least not as much as she would like. I wanted to fulfill my part of the bargain we had striked and move on. I knew, that she at least honor the bargain; once it was completed I would be free of her debt. Now that didn't mean that she wouldn't try to create more of it for me, but she would honor her bargain; she was Fairie and all Fairie honored the bargains they made with whoever they made them. That at least was something you could trust amongst them.

I start to say something else, when she abruptly leaves. And when I mean leave, I mean disappear. Well. Apparently as long as I chose to fulfill this as the last part of my debt, then she could leave without worrying. Or something. I had since given up on trying to truly understand anything that the Sidhe did.

After making sure that everything was in order in the office, and, with a noticably lesser headache than during the time Mab was around, I leave, getting into the Blue Beetle once more, off to one of the best places around to get information.

My own house.

: :: : : :: : : :: :

I make it back to my place with little fanfare. I remove the wards on my door and step inside- after giving the door a hard shove so it would let me in. I still hadn't gotten the steel-inforced door fixed, but as it was, it was the least of my worries right now. After stepping inside, I murmur "Flickum Bicus" making all the candles in the area light up. I set my kit down near the door and remove the duster I had on, thankful to get out of it; it had the smell of the crime scene on it.

It would have to be cleaned later, but for now I focused on the bigger picture. Something had killed those vampires horribly, and while the Red Court vamps were in a war with us wizards, and I sure as hell wasn't on the side of the White or Black Court for that matter (Thomas was the exception, not the rule) the fact of the matter was something, something big had killed those vampires. And I was betting, or at least had a good hunch, that it had to do with the Black Council.

Because not just anything could take out a vampire, much less three of each Court, who had seemed to be in their prime; if the magical residue left at the crime scene was any indication. One of the lingering questions-other than who the murderer was-was why three vampires from each Court, who had no love lost for one another, were all found together. Had the killer simply put them all there together? Or had the vampires all met together for some nefarious purpose?

Too many questions and too little answers readily available. It was more than a little frustrating. But I wasn't out of cards yet, and as I put on my heavy flannel robe, pushing the rug back that concealed a trap-door underneath, heading down a little stepladder, I head to one of those very cards.

It was much chillier down here, hence the robe. Believe me, that's the real wizards wear them; it certainly wasn't a fashion statement. The room was a long rectangle shape, and there were two rows, on either side of the room that led to the very back. They were filled with boxes, containers and the like that had a seemingly random assortment of items in them. Pens, paper, feathers, wishbones, bottles, snake skins, all sorts of things, including a bit of depleted uranium, which was locked securely in a lead, black box. Up against the back wall was a shelf that held a few tattered romance novels, a bleached skull and a few melted candles.

In a small part to the left of the room was a small desk that I managed to fit in the lab for my apprentice, Molly, her books stacked sort of neatly on top. On the opposite side of the desk was a summoning circle set in silver, a small dark patch inside of the circle cleashing with the rest of the concrete from where I had dug up a coin of a fallen Angel named Lashiel.

On a large table was a small-ish, but fairly accurate representation of Chicago, which I dubbed Little Chicago. Genius, I know. But it wasn't the table I was aiming for. I pass the table and head over to the shelf. I prod the human skull a bit. "Bob, time to get up, there's work to be done."

Bob wasn't really a skull- just like Bob wasn't really his name, if he had a name-but a spirit of intellect who inhabited the skull. He was a living computer, better than really. He knew a little of just about everything. Which came in handy, especially since, as a wizard, technology did not mix with he had come through for me many times.

Twin pinpoints of orange light soon fill the skull's eyesockets. Bob managed to look annoyed, though I still don't know how he does it. "Damnit, Harry. I was having that dream about Evangeline Lilly." he complained.

"You're a spirit, Bob," I pointed out. "You don't dream."

The lights in the skull roll around in a gesture of exasperation. "Well a guy can dream that he dreams, can't he?" Bob huffs. He sighs. "What's up?"

I start telling him about the grotesque crime scene. As soon as I finish, I glance at Bob. It almost looked as though he had gotten paler. "I guess this situation is as bad as I thought," I remark.

Bob shakes his head, er, skull. "Probably worse than you thought; it's hard enough to do anything to one of Courts, much less one from each of them." I nod fervantly in agreement. It was baffling. "Were there any particular marks or anything at the scene?"

"No. And that was one of the confusing things," I say, starting to pace up and down the floor a bit. "I couldn't find anything too overt, except the obvious of the vampires and a faint residue of magic, but I couldn't get a good read on what I was sensing. So I want you to go out and see what you can dig up; take Mister and try and figure out whatever you can."

The lights in the skull brighten considerably. "I have permission to leave then?"

I nod once more. "Yes, for twenty-four hours only. And don't go to any of the strip clubs this time."

A floating orange cloud of lights heads past me and up through the trapdoor. I catch a faint "Sure, boss, no _strip clubs_."

I roll my eyes and sigh; I may have told him not to visit any strip places again, but that didn't mean he wouldn't find a way to see a little skin. And being a spirit of Intellect, I often wondered why he was so facinated with the, er, more erotic side of things. After Bob leaves, I walk over to Little Chicago, pondering over things. Something, obviously magical in origin, had brutally murdered three vampires-one of each Court (one being alone hard enough to kill, something I could attest to easily)-and very well might do it again.

Now you might be saying that maybe the White Council could have something to do with it; a Warden, or Wardens, could have ran into these vampires and fought them, but it didn't have that sort of feel to it-not to mention the fact that we were spread thin enough as it was just fighting the Red Court, to get into war with the other Courts would be nothing short of suicide.

No, these energies felt more malevolent, making me wonder if it had anything to do with the baddie, or baddies, I had dubbed the Black Council. Or if I was just seeing the Black Council where it wasn't. After Morgan's death and Peabody being outed on being one of the bad guys, I was maybe a tad more paran-cautious, more cautious than I had been before. With good reason!

Thinking about things made me feel like I was forgetting something, something very important. I hated that feeling. And in my line of work, forgetting something could get you killed. I realized a few things though; 1: A baddie or baddies had worked major mojo on those vamps and had killed them horribly, doing who knew what to them, which led to #2: Vampires were hard to kill by themselves, much less in a group, much less in a group that not only included each Court, but, by the feel of it, were Master vampires in their own right.

Why were the vampires around each other? The Courts hated one another; I had never heard of any of them coexisting that well, oh they might have put up a show, such as Mavra of the Black Court and Bianca of the Red Court, but that was a rarity, not the standard. A good way to throw your enemies off was to work with them.

I pondered some more, frustrated that there was still so much I didn't know about the situation. I suddenly sit up a bit straighter. Maybe the key was to look at it from the inside; it wouldn't be stupid to think that at least one person from the Courts might have a clue as to what was going on. I could try and head over to Thomas' place and see if he had heard anything, but I wanted to save that as a last resort-my brother had changed visibly (not in looks, but in demeanor) after what happened with the Skinwalker. He no longer held himself back when he fed.

Normally he would just take little "sips" from a person, which take but a portion of life energy from someone, but when a vampire from the White Court, the Raith branch really, did the, uh, "deed" with someone and didn't hold back when they fed, the killed the person. I didn't know how to reach my brother, get through to him and make him stop. It was eternally frustrating to me.

I missed him, missing hanging out with him. The way he was now was not who he really was. What the Skinwalker did, it seemed to take away a part that made Thomas, Thomas. And since things were as they were right now, I doubted that I'd get anything out of him, if there was any to be had. I stand up quickly, chill forgotten. Thomas may not tell me anything, but there was someone who had greater standing in the White Court, who unofficially ran things and who I had the means to blackmail, should she ever choose to do the same to me; Lara Raith, Thomas' sister.

After getting cleaned up and into some fresh clothing, I left once more in the Blue Beetle to head over to Chateau Raith, where I hoped Lara would be. We weren't friends, and I didn't really trust her as a whole, but I did trust her to keep her word when she gave it; she, like others of the supernatural community, came from an Old World mentality. Which meant that if you gave your word, you kept it. One of the few perks when it came to the supernatural. Then again someone could always give their word that they would not stop until you were dead, so it could be a double-edged sword.

The Beetle put-putters away as I pass Lake Michigan, heading over to the side of the real estate that made a millionaire look like a pauper. Chateau Raith was easiily the biggest place around, though all of the houses made my apartment seem like a closet in comparison (which, after looking at the houses, probably was the size of a closet in these places.) The Raith's were obscenely wealthy; some of it by illegal means, and some by actual legal means. Though said legal means was mostly from porno films-which actually made a lot of sense as the Raith women were so beautiful, a product of breeding and their specialized vampirism, that anyone and everyone would go out and buy anything they were selling.

Either way, my very conspicuous car had to catch Raith security immediately, because as soon as I get past the incredibly long driveway, even by rich standards, the gates swing open. I didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one, but regardless of what it was; I had business to do, a crime scene to figure out, a killer (or killers) to catch. And I had to do it fast; the odds were in favor of a repeat occurance of what happened to the vampires, only this time it might happen to some innocent civilians, and that was something that I just could not let happen.

A pair of very strongly built looking men in suits approach my car as it comes to a halt. I didn't see any weapons in either men's, both blondes, hands but I was betting that they had a small arsenal between them both, just waiting for someone to look or sneeze the wrong way. I open my door slowly, not wanting to cause any sudden surprises and have a hired hand go all trigger happy on me. I grab my staff as I duck my head-to keep from hitting the top of the car, which wasn't that difficult given my lanky frame-and step out.

Muscle Goon Number 1, who was to my left, takes a step forward and speaks. "Lara Raith welcomes you to House Raith, Harry Dresden, speaking for her father Lord Raith, ruler of the White Court. Unfortunately Lord Raith is busy with Court business, so he instead offers you hospitality by way of his daughter."

Which was a long-winded way of saying that Lara was here, and that she wouldn't mind seeing me, which was a small victory in and of itself, as I was unsure as to how Lara would react; she had to know of the murders. After all, she was the defacto leader of the White Court. Few people knew the truth; that she had seduced her own father and had taken control of the White Court ever since. The White Court was all about catspaws, deceit and manipulation; it proved you were worthy of the Court.

Doing something blatantly, such as the murder of the three vampires, was the considered the lowest thing you could do, which was one of the reasons that I didn't think Lara had anything to do with it. She was smart, very, and this murder was just too obvious. The White Court considered someone doing blatant acts as proving the weakness, the unworthiness of that person. If Lara was to be ousted as the brains behind House Raith, then the entire House would lose face and someone else would immediately someone else would try and take over leadership of the Court.

I wave my staff a little. "Lead the way, chief." I say, glancing at the goon who spoke.

He stiffens a bit but gives a small nod. "As you wish."

I keep an eye on my surroundings as Thing 1 and Thing 2 lead me up the stairs, opening the doors of the enormous house. They slam with an ominous sound.

I try not to let that worry me

: :: : : :: : : :: :


End file.
